My Faith In You
by Caelhir
Summary: Talonpaw is angry that StarClan seems to be working against him and that Blackstar won't make him a warrior. Talonpaw & Rowanclaw, with brief Blackstar, Russetfur, Littlecloud, Cedarheart, Oakfur, Tawnypelt and Smokepaw. Rated for violence and blood.


This is my first attempt at a Warrior Cats fic, but I've read enough of the others to know we need some canonical fanfiction.

This story takes place in the New Prophecy arc, in _Twilight_, when ShadowClan is dealing with the two vicious kittypets. I'm taking some creative liberties and am saying that Talonpaw and Smokepaw were littermates. Enjoy!

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**My Faith in You**

_by Caelhir_

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Talonpaw's tail brushed back and forth across the forest floor, pine needles and cones rustling as his smoky-grey tail disturbed them. His claws scraped the ground before him as his thoughts chased each other like cat and prey around his mind.

_'How could StarClan be so cruel?'_ he thought desperately. _'First to take my home, then my littermate and then my clan's courage?' And now Blackstar won't even make me a warrior!_

Talonpaw had been furious that the two vicious kittypets had been prowling ShadowClan's territory and attacking cats. That wasn't right at all! Clan cats were strong and brave, and crafty ShadowClan cats should have no trouble figuring out a way to defeat the kittypets! On top of that, Blackstar had been refusing to make Talonpaw a warrior, though it there was no question that Talonpaw was ready.

_'It's not right,'_ he thought furiously. _'Its not fair. StarClan knew we had to leave the forest, and when we finally did, cats died!'_

He closed his eyes and laid his ears back against his head at the memory of Smokepaw, his dark grey littermate who had fallen to his death in the mountains.

_'I hate stupid StarClan!'_ he raged silently. '_They don't care about us! They don't care about me! They're just dead cats! Why would that make them any better than a living cat? You don't get more wise when you die; you just get dead! I hate them! I hate them all!_

With a jolt, he realized that he didn't evenknow if he trusted in StarClan anymore. _How could I? I've never seen a sign from them! And it's not like they even have any power anyways! How could I have ever trusted in them? If they're even real, they just stood by and watched like helpless kits as my home and my littermate were taken from me!_

Sadness washed over him. _I know I'm not the first cat to suffer, but why does it hurt __so? Is this my destiny? To lose what I love? I can't live like that! I don't care about StarClan and their stupid warrior code if it means I'll just watch my clan fall apart!_

Determination swelled in him. _I'll be the leader of ShadowClan one day, and then no cat will _ever_ have to stand by and watch the clan suffer because I'll stop it! I'll be stronger than StarClan! I'll be better! I'll–_

"Talonpaw?"

Talonpaw's eyes snapped open and he realized he had been tearing up chunks of the ground with his outstretched claws. He shook off the leaves and dirt and looked around to see his mentor, Rowanclaw.

When Talonpaw had been just a kit in the nursery, he had seen Rowanclaw, newly named a warrior, fight off a fox with Tawnypelt and Oakfur. He and Smokekit had been awed by the warriors' bravery and skill, and from that moment, Talonkit, just two moons old, had begged his mother if she would ask Blackstar to make Rowanclaw his mentor. Rowanclaw must have heard of his little clanmate's admiration, for he and Oakfur made a point of visiting Talonkit and Smokekit every day after that, much to the kits' delight.

Rowanclaw himself had started to admire the little dark grey tabby's courage and enthusiasm as he approached his apprentice naming ceremony. Rowanclaw hoped he would be chosen to mentor Talonkit just as much as Talonkit wanted to be mentored by Rowanclaw. He and Oakfur had discussed asking Blackstar if it could be arranged for Rowanclaw and Talonkit, and Oakfur and Smokekit, to be paired off at the ceremony but decided against it; such things were, after all, up to the clan leader. It wasn't up to a new warrior to tell his leader which cats should mentor which kits.

Rowanclaw did, however, suspect that Tawnypelt had spoken with Russetfur, the ShadowClan deputy, about the matter, for Russetfur, just in passing one day, had told him that he was about ready for an apprentice of his own. Rowanclaw's tail had shot straight up like an excitable kit's but he didn't care.

One moon later, and Rowanclaw's and Talonkit's dreams had come true. Smokepaw had been given to Oakfur to mentor, and when Blackstar called Talonkit forward, the big white cat had looked carefully around the clearing before calling Rowanclaw's name. A murmur of laughter had gone around the clearing as Talonkit had bounced excitedly on his paws, turning around to watch Rowanclaw's approach with wide, shining amber eyes.

Talonpaw and Rowanclaw were a good team. Talonpaw, eager to learn, listened carefully to his mentor and tried to learn as fast as he could. Rowanclaw learned as well, becoming a better leader and cat in the process. Every cat in ShadowClan saw the changes in their clanmates.

Talonpaw now dipped his head to his mentor, who had become like a friend and father to him.

"Hello, Rowanclaw," he said quietly, mind still churning with his rebellion against StarClan, feeling lost and adrift. Rowanclaw looked at him quizzically for a moment.

"Are you all right?" he asked at last, padding over to sit next to his apprentice.

Talonpaw hesitated before he replied. Rowanclaw had always been the one to whom he had turned in times of trouble. Talonpaw didn't think he even shared as much with Smokepaw sometimes as he did with Rowanclaw. Rowanclaw always knew what to do, and he always made Talonpaw feel better.

But this time it was different. What if, in sharing his fears and separation from StarClan with his mentor, he drove Rowanclaw from his faith as well? Talonpaw felt a cold wave of fear wash over him at the thought that Rowanclaw might be hurt by his apprentice's anger at his warrior ancestors.

"No," he said automatically. "I mean, yes," he amended hastily, "yes, I'm all right, Rowanclaw. Just– just thinking about those kittypets. We should shred them and show them that ShadowClan doesn't let any cat tell them what to do."

Rowanclaw nodded, though he looked as though he knew that Talonpaw was troubled.

"I agree with you," he said, "but at the same time, I think Blackstar is right when he said we can't just take them on. Their Twolegs are too protective of them, and you can't deny those kittypets are brutal."

Talonpaw nodded reluctantly in accord.

"I know. But it's not _fair,_" he said plaintively, unconsciously echoing his thoughts of a few moments ago. "Why would StarClan allow us to come so far away and then be given the most dangerous territory? Smokepaw _died_ for us to come here–"

He drew up short, biting his words off and glancing at Rowanclaw. His mentor knew how much Smokepaw's death had shattered the younger cat, shaking both his faith in StarClan and in himself. It had been Rowanclaw who had helped Talonpaw to recover from that event, though Talonpaw's faith in StarClan had never been the same. It had been a while before Talonpaw had been able to talk about Smokepaw to any cat but Rowanclaw.

Rowanclaw looked sharply at him. His gaze softened as he saw the apprentice's flattened ears and grieving eyes.

"Is that what this is about?" he asked gently. "Smokepaw? I won't blame you if you still miss him, you know. No cat would, Talonpaw! And I know that Blackstar not making you a warrior yet is gnawing on your nerves."

Talonpaw hesitated, and before he knew it, he had spilled out all his feelings about the betrayal of StarClan and how they had been powerless to help the clan, and how they had taken his home and his littermate from him before giving his clan, struggling to make a new home, a territory with danger from their won kind.

Rowanclaw listened quietly, not stopping or interrupting Talonpaw. His eyes reflected surprise and sorrow as his apprentice confessed to rejecting StarClan and the warrior code if it could not keep cats from dying and being forced from their homes.

"–But I'm going to be leader someday, Rowanclaw," Talonpaw finished firmly, "because Talonstar will never let his clanmates suffer! But how can I help my clanmates if I'm not even a warrior yet? Toadpaw, Marshpaw and Applepaw will be warriors before me at this rate, and they're _brand new_ apprentices!"

Rowanclaw sat silently before answering carefully.

"Are you sure you've thought about this carefully, Talonpaw?" he said finally. "It's a pretty big deal to emancipate yourself from StarClan. I don't want you to make any hasty decisions."

"Of course I've thought of this!" Talonpaw spat angrily. Was Rowanclaw doubting him now?

Rowanclaw stared straight ahead and nodded.

"All right then," he said. Talonpaw stared at him in surprise. Was that it? Wasn't Rowanclaw going to try to make him accept StarClan again?

"Aren't– aren't you angry at me?" he asked tentatively. "Aren't you going to make me believe in StarClan?"

"No," Rowanclaw said, "I can't make you believe something you don't want to believe. It is my job to guide you and encourage you, but I won't force you to believe in StarClan if that isn't what you want, Talonpaw."

Talonpaw had mixed feelings about that. He was relieved that Rowanclaw wasn't going to tell Blackstar of Littlecloud about this, but he was slightly and strangely unhappy that Rowanclaw hadn't tried to make him believe again.

"Thank you, Rowanclaw," he said. "I– I'm glad I can always count on you."

Rowanclaw licked him between the ears affectionately.

"You always can," he said, "and just remember: no matter what you believe in, I will always believe in _you._"

Talonpaw purred happily as he stood and stretched, flicking each of his his paws and shaking off the memory of his rage and sadness.

"May I go hunting, Rowanclaw?" he asked. Rowanclaw frowned, tail flicking.

"Don't you want me to come with you?" he said curiously.

"Well, of course I do" Talonpaw said carefully. He had thought out this excuse to hunt alone and had decided it was perfect, if a bit of a low blow. "But I thought you might want to spend some time hunting with Tawnypelt, and I didn't want to get your way."

"Cheeky kit!" Rowanclaw cuffed him with a sheathed paw. They fought playfully for a few moments before springing apart. Rowanclaw purred happily as he waved his tail to Talonpaw, who headed off in the opposite direction.

"Be careful!" his mentor called after him. "Don't let those kittypets turn you into kittypet food!"

"Never!"

/\/\/\/\

Talonpaw stalked through the woods.

_If I'm the best hunter, I can be the best warrior! _he thought. _Rowanclaw will be so proud of me today!_

He caught three mice on his own, two in the same leap, for as he had slammed his paws onto one, another had scuttled away from it, and he had immediately caught it in his teeth, snapping its fragile spine in his sharp teeth.

_Wait until Blackstar and Russetfur see this! _he thought happily. _They can't NOT make me a warrior!_

Eyes slitted in happiness, he buried his mice and looked up. He felt as though his heart had leapt into his throat.

_Oh no! _he thought in horror. _I'm in the kittypets' territory!_

He instantly crouched down, listening intently. He had to retreat and get back to safety before they caught him. He didn't know if they ventured this far from their nest but on the off chance that they did, he didn't want to find out.

A rustle in the bushes behind him made Talonpaw spin around. One of the kittypets, the smaller tabby, was stalking towards him, pelt fluffed out so that she looked twice her size. Talonpaw felt a rush of happiness to see that he was bigger than she was. She backed away a step, and, confidence bolstered, he advanced.

He snarled at her, "What's the matter, kitty? Scared of a warrior?"

She hissed, then turned and fled. Talonpaw raised his head but before he could enjoy his "victory", something hit him from behind.

Claws dug into his sides and he felt teeth ripping into the thick fur at his neck. Twisting so that his attacker couldn't reach his spine, he spat in frustration and anger. He had forgotten about the second kittypet! The black-and-white tom had baited him by using the tabby.

Talonpaw managed to wriggle out of the tom's claws but when he turned to run, something hit him hard in his side, bowling him over. He yowled in pain as claws slashed open his side. He felt blood pour from the wound as he staggered to his paws, feeling dizzy from being slammed to the ground twice in such as short time. He received no mercy, though; the tom was leaping through the air, and Talonpaw moved too slowly, his wound slowing him down.

The tom's claws raked his back and sides, tearing more wounds into his sides. He screeched and twisted weakly, but the she-cat darted in and slashed him across his face. He wailed as one of his eyes went dark; he was blinded!

The smell of blood– his own blood– was all around him and he felt himself growing weak. He hissed pathetically as the tom bit his front leg sharply. Talonpaw tried to pull away but the tom's teeth ripped his leg, and he hissed again. The tabby hit him again and began to tear at his neck, opening a wound that Talonpaw knew was serious.

Suddenly, a Twoleg's yowling rang through the air, and Talonpaw thought he had never been so glad to hear a Twoleg as he was just then. The kittypets raised their heads, looked at each other and at the wounded clan cat. The tom slashed his claws brutally into Talonpaw's shoulder, ripping through fur and muscle and wrenching a screech from Talonpaw's sore throat, before turning tail and disappearing into the gathering sunset.

Talonpaw lay dazed and in agony for a long wile before trying to haul himself to his feet. He didn't want the kittypets to return and find him still there. He found that his legs barely supported him, and he knew there would be no way he would be able to collect his mice that he had been so eager to bring home.

Talonpaw's good eye was fuzzy and blurred as he began to drag himself home. He barely knew where he was going, but he kept on going until he finally tripped over a root and lay still, unable to get up. His wounds were throbbing and agonizing, and he felt weak and clumsy. He knew it was because of the blood lost from his wounds; Talonpaw had heard Littlecloud and Russetfur discussing the need for coltsfoot and cobwebs to stop bleeding if there was a battle with ThunderClan about the border.

Talonpaw knew he had to get back to camp. Rowanclaw would be worried and he didn't want his mentor to get hurt by the kittypets looking for him. He felt his good eye sliding shut; the other was slashed and torn so badly he didn't know if he even had an eye there anymore. Everything hurt so badly. He wanted to stay here by this tree root and go to sleep.

"Talonpaw."

Talonpaw opened his eye. A dark grey tom, smaller than he was, with kit-soft fur still lingering around his face, was leaning over him, one paw outstretched towards him. Stars glittered in his fur.

"Smokepaw?" Talonpaw said weakly, alarmed by how weak and raspy his own voice was. Smokepaw purred and pushed his nose into his brother's bloody, matted fur.

"It's me," Smokepaw said. "Come on; we have to get you home."

Talonpaw allowed Smokepaw to help him lurch to his paws. Talonpaw hissed weakly as the leg the kittypet had bitten and ripped spasmed and wouldn't take his weight. On three legs, he leaned against his littermate's string body and breathed in his familiar scent; like the forest, and their mother, and fond memories of kit-games and the old ShadowClan nursery overwhelmed him, and he staggered, unable to keep himself walking straight. He knew they were travelling unbearably slow but Talonpaw's wounds were more painful now than ever, and he couldn't so much as move a whisker without there being more pain.

"Careful," Smokepaw murmured.

"I'm sorry," Talonpaw slurred, "Sorry I let you fall. Should have been with you..."

"Nonsense," said Smokepaw. "StarClan called me. It was my time."

"StarClan?" Talonpaw's fuzzied mind tried to remember what had made him so angry just a little while ago. Then he remembered.

"StarClan! They... took you from me... and now Blackstar won't... make me a warrior... Smokepaw... are they real? Is StarClan real?"

"I know," said Smokepaw. "I was angry that they took me too, at first. But I'm a StarClan warrior now, Talonpaw. I promise you, they're real."

Talonpaw closed his eye and let his brother's warmth flood over him. He was beginning to feel very cold now, and his paws were growing numb. He was tripping more, and his tail dragged on the ground. He stumbled to a halt, head so low his nose was almost brushing the pine needles.

"Just a little farther," Smokepaw urged. "Then you can rest, I promise."

Talonpaw whimpered as his wounds throbbed painfully, and he willed it all to be over.

"Just... let me rest now," he pleased, his voice even more weak and pathetic than before. "Please, Smokepaw. I just want... to lie down... and rest."

"No," said Smokepaw resolutely. "Come on; I promise you'll make it back to camp. Talonstar wouldn't give up yet!"

Talonpaw heard the name Smokepaw had called him and realized his brother was right. The great Talonstar, Talonpaw's future, _leader_ self, wouldn't let these wounds stop him from becoming a great leader. With the greatest effort he had ever made, he raised his head a mouse-tail-length and struggled to push his paws forward.

Smokepaw padded beside him, supporting his brother's painfully slow progress through the undergrowth until they came into sight of the ShadowClan camp. Smokepaw stopped, and Talonpaw staggered to a standstill too.

"I'm sorry, Talonpaw," Smokepaw whispered, "but I have to go now."

Talonpaw's shredded ears went back.

"No," he croaked, "please... don't leave me."

"I'm sorry," Smokepaw said as Talonpaw saw blurry shadows begin to move at the camp entrance, "but– but I'll come back. I'm sorry, but I'll come back for you."

Talonpaw barely heard him, barely noticed as Smokepaw disappeared form his side. He tried to limp forward but found he couldn't make his paws obey him anymore. The shapes by the camp were talking and he tried to hear them.

"–Blood, Cedarheart! I can smell blood!"

"I smell it, Rowanclaw, and it's not prey."

"Let's–"

But with a yowl, Talonpaw heard the voices break off, and the blurry shapes got bigger as they approached him. Talonpaw finally forced his paws to move, and he limped towards them.

The shapes took the forms of Rowanclaw and Cedarheart. Rowanclaw let out a wail and rushed forward faster than Cedarheart. At the same moment, Talonpaw's legs finally failed him, and he collapsed to the ground, agony threatening to overwhelm him. Red flared at the edges of his vision, and a soothing blackness began to wash over him.

"Talonpaw!"

Rowanclaw reached his side and crouched down next to him, eyes wide and horrified. Rowanclaw turned to Cedarheart as the grey tom raced up to them.

"Get Littlecloud!"

Talonpaw heard Rowanclaw's command to his clanmate but couldn't connect what the order and Rowanclaw's fear-scent meant. He closed his eye, and faintly, he was aware that he was being carried, and when he opened his eye next, he was lying in Littlecloud's den, and the medicine cat was standing over him. Talonpaw realized the medicine cat had been talking to him.

"Talonpaw? Can you understand me?"

Talonpaw couldn't move, so he let out a pathetic mewl, like a newborn kit. Littlecloud's eyes shone in sadness.

"Talonpaw, I'm doing the best I can for your wounds. Can you tell me what attacked you?"

Talonpaw summoned his strength and spat weakly, "Kittypets. Two."

Rowanclaw, who Talonpaw had not even known was present, turned to another cat and said, "See? I told you!"

"Quiet, Rowanclaw." That was Russetfur.

"Out," Littlecloud ordered. "It's far too crowded in here.

Cats bustled around the entrance, and finally, only Littlecloud and Rowanclaw, evidently refusing to leave, remained near Talonpaw. Talonpaw wondered why Littlecloud didn't tell the other cats to leave too; he could see the outlines of ears and waving tails trough his remaining eye though he couldn't tell who they were because it was so blurry. He turned his gaze to Rowanclaw, who edged closer.

"Sorry," Talonpaw murmured, wincing as pain racked his form again. Rowanclaw looked stunned.

"Whatever for?" he cried. "It's me who should be sorry! I shouldn't have let you go out on your own with those menaces of kittypets on the loose!"

"For...," Talonpaw was finding it harder to speak as agony gripped his body, "...for not believing... I know... StarClan is real... because Smokepaw told... he's one of them now."

Rowanclaw and Littlecloud exchanged a look. Talonpaw closed his eye as he began to shiver, freezing cold engulfing his broken body. When Talonpaw opened his eye again, he saw Smokepaw crouched next to Rowanclaw.

"I promised I'd come back," said Smokepaw.

"Do they..." Talonpaw looked at Rowanclaw and Littlecloud, who looked over at his words. Smokepaw shook his head.

"Only you can see me," he confirmed. Talonpaw realized that the blurry shapes of the other cats in Littlecloud's den were StarClan cats too, and he realized with a terrible pang of anguish what that must mean.

"Am I... dying?" he asked Smokepaw, but it was Littlecloud who answered Rowanclaw's panicked look.

"I'm trying, Talonpaw," he said, though sadness laced his voice. "I'm doing my very best."

Rowanclaw moved closer to Talonpaw. Talonpaw tried to speak to his mentor again.

"I'm... going to be... Talonstar..." he gasped, as the shudders ripped through him, sharpening the pain. "I'll be... the strongest leader... ShadowClan has ever..."

He broke off as a terrible cough forced its way through him, ripping his raw throat as it left him. Rowanclaw stretched out a paw to soothe his dying apprentice, agony and grief in his eyes.

"I never doubted you," he said, "even when you didn't believe. I know you'll be the best leader. I have faith in you, Talonpaw."

Talonpaw felt happiness juxtapose against the agonizing pain he was experiencing. His mentor was proud of him. Rowanclaw believed in him, and to Talonpaw, that was better than being a leader of any clan. He saw Smokepaw moving forward as Rowanclaw finished speaking. Talonpaw met his blue gaze with his single amber eyes.

"It's time to go," Smokepaw whispered. Talonpaw sighed and looked at Rowanclaw, sorrow fighting the pain now, too.

"Sorry..." he murmured again, and Rowanclaw pressed his nose to Talonpaw's shaking pelt.

"It's all right," his mentor whispered, "you'll be all right."

But Talonpaw had closed his eye for the last time, and when he blinked, he realized he now had two eyes again. The pain was gone, just an echo of a memory, and he sprang to his paws, feeling as energetic as he had felt on the day he had been made an apprentice so long ago in the forest.

Smokepaw moved forward to touch his brother's nose with his won.

"Come one," he said quietly.

A yowl tore through the air right behind Talonpaw. he whipped around and saw Rowanclaw crouching, eyes wild, over a bloody, broken heap of grey-and-black fur. Talonpaw felt a jolt of shock.

_Was that __me__?_ he wondered, trying to see it better. It was a mess. Smokepaw nudged him.

"Come on," he said. "It's time for us to go."

Talonpaw padded behind his brother into the clearing, where cats crouched, looking unsure, around the edges of the camp. Smokepaw looked back, waved his tail happily, and looked up at the night sky. Talonpaw copied him and looked up.

Stars swirled towards them as they descended towards the two young cats. Talonpaw felt like he was running through a tunnel of stars, wind in his fur and energy in his legs. He looked down and saw stars in his fur.

Smokepaw padded forward, and Talonpaw took one last look behind him at the bereft ShadowClan camp. He would be sorry to leave Rowanclaw.

With that, Talonpaw returned his gaze to the stars and walked forward to meet his new clanmates.

/\/\/\/\

Please leave a review, if you can. I'd really appreciate feedback. Thanks for reading!


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